Refractory composition



Patented June 12, 1923.

UHT T JOHN L. OHMAN, DECEASED, LATE OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, BY CHARLES A.

WHITE, ADMINISTRATOR, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BUFFALO BE- FRACTOBY CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

REFRACTOBY COMPOSITION.

NoDrawing. Original application filed November 1, 1917, Serial No. 199,792. Patent No. 1,856,939. Divided and this application filed October 9, 1920. Serial No. 415,877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat JoHN L. OHMAN, de-

ceased, late a subject of the King ofSweden,

and a resident of Niagara Falls, county of Niagara, and State of New York, by Charles A. White, his administrator resldm at the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and tate of New York, did invent a certain new and useful Refractory Composition, of WhlCh the 0 following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This is a divisional application based on the ori inal disclosure made in application Serial o. 199,792, filed November 1, 1917,

5 now Patent'No. 1356939, for patent on refractory materials.

The general object of this invention has been to provide a refractory composition which shall be elastic and very durable, thus reventing cracking, disintegrating, co'rrod-' ing, and oxidizing.

Another object has been to provide a refractory composition which shall be easily and cheaply manufactured and one in which, in order to permanently bind the constituent materials together, it shall be unnecessary to raise the composition to the temperature of recrystallization.

Another object has been to provide a composition which shall resist chemical action and one which shall greatly increase the life of the articles which are made therefrom.

In the specification, this composition is describedas applied to the construction of a crucible; it being obvious that it can be used for making any heat resisting articles; such as, fire bricks, retorts, mufiles, refractories, furnace cores, tubes, combustion boats, furnace linings, and heat resisting cements.

It is well known to those skilled in the art, that crucibles in common use (known to the trade as graphite crucibles) have been formed either of plumbago or graphite, and preferably German clay, and a slight addi- 4 tion of silica in the form of sand (sometimes fire sand). These graphite crucibles oxidize and disintegrate quite rapidly both from the action of the furnace fires on the outside of the crucibles, and, on the inside, from the effects of the fluxes used in the metals contained therein. The repeated heating and cooling to which these cruciblesare ordinarily subjected causes them to flake off in large sheets (termed scalping) and also tov crumble. The life of a gra hite crucible, therefore, is comparatively s ort.

This composition is made up preferably of the following elements in the proportions named:

Crystalline alumina (A1 0,) substantially 34 parts. Y

Fused silicon oxide (SiO substantially 34 parts.

Crystalline parts.

' Binder substantially 7 parts. In the above formula, equal parts of crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide are graphite substantially 25 set forth, it being understood, however, that these elements are the equivalent of each other and that the total, 68 arts, of the entire composition may be ivided between these two elements in any desiredmanner. As is well known in the art, fire sand is not a chemically inert refractory electric furnace product, and, therefore, it is not considered to be the equivalent of the crystalline alumina or fused silicon oxide.

As a binder for my composition, clay may be used, or, if desired, a carbonizing binder (such as tar, pitch or molasses) may be used as a binding agent. However, when using a carbonizing binder, a fusion mixture is preferably used for protecting the composition against oxidation and disintegration.

clay, having a low fusion point, may be used as such fusion agent. In place of using clay as a protector or flux, I may substitute a metallic or non-metallic salt (suchas borax or feldspar), oxide (such as oxide of iron) or other suitable fusion mixture. It will. be understood that a combination of difierent salts or different oxides, or a combination of both of these fusion agents may be used. It is necessary, however, when carbonizing binders are used, to increase the percentage of such binders. I

In making a crucible, the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and placed upon a potters wheel, where the crucible is spun in the usual manner, or, if desired, the mass may be pressed or molded into shape. After the crucible is formed by spinning, pressing, or

molding, it is dried and then baked at a low temperature (approximately 1000 (3.). After baking, the crucible is ready for use. In the experiments made in connection with this invention, it has been found that a portion of the natural crystalline graphite is absolutely necessary in the construction of the larger refractory articles, if they are to be durable. Crystalline graphite is known for its very high fusion point; its good conductivity of heat; and its chemical resisting characteristics. This graphite, when molded or spun into crucibles, lies in thin lamina: or layers overlapping one another, thus giving a certain amount of flexibility to the whole body of the crucible, which enables it to withstand sudden changes in temperature without cracking.

As is well known. crystalline alumina (aluminum oxide) (A1 0,) and fused silicon oxide are products of the electric furnace; the former being a chemical compound of aluminum and oxygen, and the latter being a chemical compound of silicon and oxygen. Each of these materials has a very high fusion point; is very inert chemically, as is graphite; is a good conductor of heat; has an extremely low co-efiicient of expansion; and shows practically no oxidation under extreme heat.

These materials, therefore, mixed with crystalline graphite, make a very suitable refractory article, which is a good conductor of heat, is elastic, tough, strong, and highly resistant to oxidation and the action of fluxes. The use of a metallic or nonmetallic salt. oxide. or other fusion mixture, is to assist in the binding of the materials and to form a protecting coating around the graphite and the carbonizing binder, when such binder is used.

While certain proportions of the difi'erent ingredients have been set forth, it is obvious that they may be varied somewhat without departing from this invention, as, for instance, when making a very small crucible a large percentage of the refractory base may be used; but, when making large crucibles, the proportion of the graphite will be increased to give the finished product suflicient flexibility so that it will expand and contract without fracture.

While the term crystalline is used, in this application, as applied to graphite, it it to be understood that this term also includes what is known in the trade as flake graphite, which is the equivalent of crystalline graphite.

Having thus described this invention,

what is claimed is:

1. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising crystalline alumina and fused silicon.oxide, and crystalline graphite.

2. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide, crystalline graphite, and a binder. I

3. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide, crystalline graphite, and a salt.

4. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprlsing crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide, crystalline 8. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising crystalline alumina and fused SillCOIl oxide, crystalline graphite, a carbonizing binder, and clay.

9. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles. comprising substantially 68% of a mixture of crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide, substantially 25% of crystalline graphite, and substantially 7% of a binder.

10. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising substantially 68% of a mixture of crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide, substantially 25% of crystalline raphite, and substantially 7% of a carbonlzing binder and a. clay, the clay having-a low fusion point and acting as a protector.

11. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising substantially 68% of a mixture of crystalline alumina and fused silicon oxide, substantially 25% of or stalline graphite, and substantially 7% o a carbonizing binder and a salt.

12. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprising substantially 34% of crystalline alumina, substantially 34% of fused silicon oxide, substantially 25% of crystalline graphite and substantially 7% of a binder.

13. A refractory composition for heat resisting articles, comprlsing 34% of crystalline alumina, substantially 34% of fused silicon oxide, substantially 25% of crystalline graphite, and substantially 7% of a carbonizing binder and a clay, the clay having a low fusion point and acting as a. protector.

Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

CHARLES A. WHITE,

Administrator of the estate of John L. Ohman, deceased. 

